Gage, the auto trade spokesman, cautions that car owners should have their vehicles diagnosed when an indicator light appears. "That malfunction could be a relatively simple fault like a failing sensor or connection," he e-mailed the Globe, "or it could be a much more serious problem that requires immediate attention."

In my experience, it's a busted sensor. Cost you $300+ for parts to repair it, and we have to fly them in from Singapore, Malaysia, Akron, Mars and The Winchester Bar. Nono, your CAR is fine, it's just the sensor that indicates your engine is not fully warmed up has a bad connection. Oh, and since the lines from sensor to OBDC run through the engine block, we have to disassemble the front end (stupid engineers) - so that's $500 for labor, too.

Busted sensors have cost me more than repairs and maintenance combined. I'm seriously considering just waiting until I hear bad noises or see parts fall off before bringing it in.

// once failed an emissions test because the OBDC's relays had died// apparently, they can't be separated from the unit, so I paid $1200 for a new one and a bunch more for installation (and easily passed the test)// and there was NOTHING actually wrong with my car

But as complex dashboard screens become another presence in the car, even some kids are getting irritated. North Attleboro grade schoolers Will and Ben DiBattista regularly shush their dad's 2012 Range Rover's navigation system. On the way to hockey practice, the system has the nasty habit of talking over the songs they play to get pumped up - like "Eye of the Tiger" - to announce that the car needs to make a right in a half a mile . . . 700 feet . . . 500 feet . . . and so on.

You would think that after the first few trips to practice you wouldn't need to use the navigation system any more.

The 90s called and told late 80s talking cars to shut the fark up and go back to just beeping.

This article touches on a problem I considered just last week. If my current car were to become too expensive to repair what would I replace it with? As a computer programmer I can confidently say it has its place, and that's not between me and the road. I want only levers pulleys inclined planes etc involved on my control of the car. No braking for me no steering for me no presuming I'm driving the car incorrectly and need to be hindered.

Try to shop for that nowadays and you can't. Soon I won't even be able to get a manual. I wonder, will I be stuck buying late 90s cars the rest of my life?

By the time I'm old self-controlled vehicles will be second-class citizens like a bicycle on the freeway.

zez:But as complex dashboard screens become another presence in the car, even some kids are getting irritated. North Attleboro grade schoolers Will and Ben DiBattista regularly shush their dad's 2012 Range Rover's navigation system. On the way to hockey practice, the system has the nasty habit of talking over the songs they play to get pumped up - like "Eye of the Tiger" - to announce that the car needs to make a right in a half a mile . . . 700 feet . . . 500 feet . . . and so on.

You would think that after the first few trips to practice you wouldn't need to use the navigation system any more.

Maybe he uses it to gauge eta. I used to do that on a 40 mile work commute.

I am totally annoyed by all this shiat that talks to us all the time. When I cash out at CVS, I press the button for Spanish so that I don't understand it, and I don't have to be bombarded by more eledtronic voices.

Even better is when the thing keeps trying to send me back to main roads when I'm taking a shortcut that works better; a prime example is St. Louis, MI to Midland. Though, in that case, if it's after dark I'll stick with 127 and M-20 just to reduce the likelihood of Bambi jumping through my windshield.

endosymbiont:I am totally annoyed by all this shiat that talks to us all the time. When I cash out at CVS, I press the button for Spanish so that I don't understand it, and I don't have to be bombarded by more electronic voices.

Setting it to Spanish wouldn't work for me unless they talk fast enough. They need some other choice, like Welsh.

The gas pump rewards gizmos that I occasionally see are pretty annoying, but they at least have an STFU button. On the other hand, some gas stations now have TV screens above the pumps blaring away with no mute button. Orwell was an optimist.

Consumer Reports hates hates hates fancy touch screens in cars. They consider it a safety issue, and I agree. Having to go three menus deep into a touch screen with no tactical feedback to do something like change the radio station (as opposed to pressing a single, actual button) is something that people will want to do while driving but is unsafe to do so using the new systems. They don't mind talking cars as much, though.

I like my GPS lady, mainly because she says the craziest things sometimes.

My favorite is when I'm driving to LaGuardia and she tells me to get off at the exit for "FDR Dr. / Manhattan". She pronounces it as "FDR Doctor Manhattan", which never fails to create some bizarre president / Watchman crossover image.